Dipping toes into healthy eating? Chef Wrobel's new book is for you

You may be more conscious of food choices, buy organic produce, understand the importance of buying locally, and you may occasionally try vegan and vegetarian recipes, but don’t necessarily identify yourself with those labels.Celebrity chef Jason Wrobel says he wrote his new cookbook for all of you “toe dippers” into the world of healthy, meatless, dairy-free cooking and nutrition.

“They may be trying to eat healthier. Those are the people I want to talk to,” said Wrobel, a Detroit native whose new book, “Eaternity,” includes more than 150 vegan recipes, nutrition advice, lists of favorite products, pantry contents and kitchen essentials, food substitutions, and more.Wrobel said readers can “choose their own adventure for ultimate health” as they select chapters from the book that are relevant to their lives.

Meet Chef Jason Wrobel and get a copy of his new book Saturday, April 23 at Greenspace Cafe in Ferndale. Proceeds from the event benefit Sasha Farm, an animal sanctuary in Manchester, southwest of Ann Arbor.(Photo: Submitted)

“I wanted it to be a lifestyle guide in addition to a cookbook. I wasn’t interested in doing the standard cookbook format, appetizers, entrees, desserts. What I wanted to do was create a guide where people could learn basic nutrition. If I want to improve an aspect of my health, here is how I can start doing it.”

The book’s 14 chapters are arranged according to eating strategies for specific health goals such as improved brainpower, strong bones, better sex, and healthy heart. Each chapter includes several recipes, a list of relevant nutrients and foods, nutritional explanations, and lifestyle advice. Chapter 4, Eat for Happiness and Good Moods, for example, explains the importance of eating selenium-rich food, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids — while avoiding dairy products — to help keep bad moods at bay. It also suggests lifestyle strategies that include meditation, exercise, and keeping a gratitude journal.

Book release, benefit

A signed copy of the book is included in the $75 per person ticket price at the “Eaternity” book release and wine social, 4-6 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Greenspace Cafe, 215 W. Nine Mile, Ferndale. The event also includes artisanal plant-based snacks, talks by Wrobel, NBA champ and wellness advocate John Salley, and Joel Kahn, M.D., cardiologist, and a sampling of Salley’s vegan wine. A signed bottle of the vegan wine is included in $100 tickets. Call 248-206-7510.

Proceeds from the book release and wine social will benefit Sasha Farm, an animal sanctuary in Manchester, southwest of Ann Arbor.

“People need to get back into their kitchen and make food with their own two hands. That is non-negotiable. I don’t feel we can achieve optimal health if we’re constantly eating fast food and eating out all the time.”

Chef Jason Wrobel

“I volunteered there between 2003 and 2006. I’d go pretty often to bale hay, feed the animals and help out on the farm,” said Wrobel, who shares his home with cats Lynx, Clawdia, and Figaro. “So, it’s very near and dear to my heart.”

By then, Wrobel had been a vegan — not eating animal products — since 1995. He made the gradual switch from a typical American diet to plant-based diet after his grandfather lost his battle with cancer. Wrobel began to question the prevailing notion that “you get old and get a disease and die.”

He didn’t consider pursuing a culinary career until after moving to Los Angeles 11 years ago. He had worked as an advertising copywriter in Detroit after graduating from college with a bachelors degree in marketing and theater. In California he pursued acting and music, but “the money was not coming in.”

“I thought I really like making food. What if I got really good at it? For the past 11 years, that is what I have focused on.”

YouTube, Cooking Channel

He studied at the Living Light Culinary Institute in northern California and earned certification as a professional raw foods chef and instructor. Positions at vegan restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, and Detroit followed. He combined his passion for food and theatrical presentation in 2009 on YouTube, where his “J-Wro Show” can be seen. A show on the Cooking Channel, “How to Live to 100,” followed in 2013. His new YouTube series takes him into the kitchens of “average Americans” where he improvises a healthy, vegan meal with whatever ingredients they have on hand.

“Things take time in life. What I tell people coming up in this business is you must learn to cultivate patience. You’ve got to put the work in but amazing dreams can manifest.”

That’s also part of his message to those who say they don’t have enough time to cook healthy food at home.

“People need to get back into their kitchen and make food with their own two hands. That is non-negotiable. I don’t feel we can achieve optimal health if we’re constantly eating fast food and eating out all the time.

“The busyness factor is a lame excuse. I understand that family and career and making money is of course very important, but if we do it at the expense of our long-term health, it will catch up with us. And then it will be a lot harder when that day comes for people to maintain the basics of life.”

Visit Wrobel’s website at jasonwrobel.com

sdargay@hometownlife.com

Cauliflower Lentil Tacos with Fresh Guacamole(Photo: Submitted)

Cauliflower Lentil Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

This was the most popular recipe from Jason Wrobel’s television series on the Cooking Channel. In his new book, it’s listed as a choice for helping to build muscles.

1. To make the guacamole, mash the avocados in a medium bowl until slightly chunky. Add the onion, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, salt, cumin, pepper, and cayenne, then mash the mixture some more.

2. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation. Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour. Just before serving, add the tomatoes to the guacamole and gently mix.

3. To make the Cauliflower Lentil Taco “meat,” rinse and drain the lentils thoroughly. Add the lentils to a medium saucepan. Add the filtered water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

4. Pulse the cauliflower into rice-size pieces in a high-speed food processor. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and jalapeno until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cauliflower rice, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of the ground coriander, and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.

5. Add the cooked lentils, the remaining 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander, and the salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

6. Scoop the Cauliflower Lentil Taco “Meat” into the taco shells and top with shredded romaine lettuce and a dollop of guacamole. Serve immediately.

This recipe, listed in “Eaternity’s” section on improving bone strength, is a meatless, healthier version of American bar food

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites:

1 teaspoon organic virgin coconut oil

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup gluten-free chickpea flour

1 large head cauliflower, broken into medium-size florets

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons filtered water, plus more if needed to thin

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

4 stalks celery, cut into sticks, reserved for plating

Cashew Dill Sauce:

1 1/4 cups raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour

1/2 cup filtered water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon dried dill

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. To make the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil a baking sheet with coconut oil. Whisk together the coconut milk and flour until well combined. Dunk the individual cauliflower florets into the flour mixture, transfer to the oiled baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.

2. Combine the apple cider vinegar, spices, olive oil, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. Whisk in the water and arrowroot powder. Simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Add additional water to thin as needed.

3. Coat cauliflower florets with the sauce mixture and bake for an additional 8 minutes.

4. To make the Cashew Dill Sauce blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender for 30 seconds until very smooth and creamy. If need be, scrape down the sides of the blender carafe with a spatula and blend again. Serve immediately with the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites and garnish with fresh celery sticks.

Chef Jason Wrobel’s favorites

1. “A really good quality chef’s knife is number one.”

2. “Invest in a nice, high-speed blender. I use a blender in so many recipes. I probably use it on a daily basis.”

3. “I started working with quinoa six or seven years ago as a substitute for rice or bulgar wheat. It’s really high in protein and amino acids.”

4. “I’m definitely a fan of oils with a high smoke point. You can do high-heat cooking and the oils don’t turn rancid. My two favorites are extra-virgin coconut oil and grapeseed oil.”

5. “Cauliflower is an amazing base for so many things. I see people are doing cauliflower rice and cauliflower popcorn. I’ve got a great recipe in the book for that (popcorn). It’s definitely becoming a hot ingredient.”